1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a top end stop of a slide fastener in which fastener chains thereof are formed by injection-molding fastener elements of thermoplastic resin on side edges of fastener tapes and an opening device is attached to an end portion of the fastener chain or an inverse opening device is attached to the end portion of the fastener chain.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, thermoplastic resin fastener elements are molded on side edges of fastener tapes with injection molding means and then by removing the fastener elements at a predetermined interval from this continuous fastener chain, a space portion is prepared. A slider or two sliders is/are inserted through this space portion such that they oppose each other face to face and then, an opening device is formed at an end of the space portion by molding a resin box, a box pin and a separable pin or an inverse opening device is formed by molding a box and a separable pin. After a top end stop of resin is molded at the other end, the space portion is cut out so as to finally produce an open type slide fastener with an opening device or an open type slide fastener with an inverse opening device.
This open type slide fastener is sewed onto an opening portion of clothes or the like after it is separated to its right and left stringers. At this time, a slider placed on the stringer on the box pin side becomes an obstacle to sewing operation, thereby disturbing a smooth sewing operation. Further, there is another problem that even if the slider is demanded to be replaced with a different one, this is impossible.
Thus, the top end stop disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2-239804 has been considered. This top end stop 110 shown in FIG. 18 is mounted on an end portion of the stringer on the box pin side of the open type slide fastener. The maximum width W3 of the top end stop 110, measured at right angle to the inner edge of the stringer, is larger than a width W4 of one side of element aisles 124 of the slider 121. A first half body portion 110a and a second half body portion 110b of the top end stop 110 are constructed so that an inward concave face 135 is generated therebetween, which engages a guide column 122 through an obtuse angle. Respective axes A1, A2 of the first and second half body portions 110a, 110b are tilted inward with respect to the inner edge of the fastener tape 128 and the maximum widths W1, W2 of the first and second half body portions 110a, 110b are formed to be equal to or slightly smaller than the width W4 of the element aisle 124.
As for the top end stop 110 of the open type slide fastener shown in FIG. 18, the maximum width measured at right angle to the inner edge of the fastener tape 128 is larger than the width of the element aisle 124 and therefore, so designed that the top end stop 110 is incapable of passing through the element aisle 124 of the slider 121 only if it is moved linearly. Further, the respective maximum widths W3 of the first and second half body portions 110a, 110b are formed to be equal to or slightly smaller than the width of the element aisle 124 of the slider 121, so that if the top end stop 110 is moved along a inverted letter C, it is capable of passing through the element aisle 124. When it is intended to close the fastener chain on usage, if the slider 121 is pulled strongly, the slider 121 can escape from the fastener chain because there is no mechanism for stopping the slider 121 positively. Further, when the fastener chains are disconnected and opened, there is a fear that the slider 121 may surpass the top end stop 110 and drop out.
The present invention has been accomplished in views of the above-described problem.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a top end stop to be mounted on an open type slide fastener with an opening device or an open type slide fastener with an inverse opening device. Upon its normal usage condition, the slider keeps contact with a stop portion provided on the top end stop, for example, a cut-out to stop the sliding of the slider, thereby keeping the slider from dropping off. When the slider needs to be removed from the fastener chain, if the slider loaded on the fastener stringers is pulled while rolled in the right direction or in the left direction, the slider can be removed easily. Thus, when sewing the stringers along an opening in clothes or the like, the stringers are sewed thereon without the slider, and thereafter, when the slider is inserted in the fastener stringer, the slider can be inserted while being rolled in an opposite direction to the above-mentioned pulling-out direction. When replacing the slider of the fastener chain sewed onto clothes or the like, this top end stop allows the slider to be replaced easily. Again, the first object is to provide a top end stop having both the configuration and condition for exerting its excellent functions.
A second object of the present invention, in addition to the above first object, is to provide a top end stop of an open type slide fastener which has an excellent function for loading or removing the slider by specifying the configuration and condition of the top end stop and allows the slider to be loaded or removed easily.
A third object of the present invention, in addition to the above first object, is to provide a top end stop of an open type slide fastener having excellent quality in which upon normal usage of the fastener chain, when the slider is stopped by the same top end stop, the slider never swings or deflects without any clear cause.
A fourth object of the present invention, in addition to the above first object, is to provide a top end stop of an open type slide fastener which, by specifying the configuration of the opposing side face opposing the guide column of the slider, is capable of exerting its excellent introducing function.
A fifth and a sixth objects of the present invention, in addition to the above first object respectively, are to provide a top end stop of an open type slide fastener which enables the slider to be set or removed smoothly on or from the fastener stringer through the operation of loading or unloading the slider while rolling in the right direction or in the left direction.
A seventh object of the present invention, in addition to the above first object, is to provide a top end stop of an open type slide fastener, which enables the slider to be set on the fastener stringer smoothly and loaded on the fastener stringer easily when the slider is set on the stringer.
A eighth object of the present invention, in addition to the above first object, is to provide a top end stop of an open type slide fastener which, by specifying the configuration of the top end stop to enable the slider to be set or removed easily, enables the slider to be set or removed smoothly when the slider is set on or removed from the stringer.
A ninth object of the present invention, in addition to the above first object, is to provide a top end stop of an open type slide fastener in which even if the slider is pulled with a weak force when the slider is set on or removed from the stringer, the slider can be set or removed.